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Notary Bulletin

Do I Enter A Signer’s Address In My Notary Journal Entry?

By NNA Staff on January 25, 2018

New Hotline Resized 3I have gotten conflicting information about recording the signer’s address in my journal. The law doesn’t list address as a required field, but the journal lists it as a required field in the inside cover. Which is correct? — C.R., California

In California, the address of the signer is an optional, but recommended entry. Because NNA journals meet the requirements of all states as well as the standards of professional practice, some fields are not required by California law. That includes the address where the notarization is performed and the name and address of the signer.  Although the name of the signer is not required, some signatures are illegible so it is strongly recommended to include it in your journal. 

Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors

Confronted with a tricky notarization? Unsure how to proceed? NNA members have unlimited access to our expertly trained NNA Hotline counselors to help you with all of your notarial questions. Call 1-888-876-0827, Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. PST; Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST.

 

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6 Comments

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Audrey

29 Jan 2018

The name of the signer is *not* required for California notarizations?

National Notary Association

30 Jan 2018

Hello. Under GC 8206[a] a CA Notary's journal entry must include: • Date, time and type of each official act; • Character (type or title) of every document sworn to, affirmed, acknowledged or proved before the Notary; • Signature of each person whose signature is notarized, including the signature of any subscribing witness and the mark of a signer; • Statement regarding the type of satisfactory evidence relied on to identify the signer; • Fee charged for the notarial act or, if no fee was charged, “No Fee” or “0”; • If document is a power of attorney, deed, quitclaim deed, deed of trust or other document affecting real property, the right thumbprint (or any other available print) of the signer.

Mike C.

29 Jan 2018

In Pennsylvania, ONLY the name, town, and state should be recorded in the notarial journal. Specicific street addresses, full driver licenses numbers, and social security numbers are considered personally identifying information and are specifically excluded from the journal. In PA, anyone may request a copy of one or more pages of a notarial journal through the county recorder of deeds or other appropriate county office without a court order.

Audrey

30 Jan 2018

Thanks!

Dan Serbin

19 Feb 2018

I fill out all boxes in the journal, required or not. I also put the address on their ID and the one that is current or where they actually live. In additional notes section, I note the names of anyone who attended the signing, the escrow officers name and company and escrow #, and sometimes the lender and loan # and any questions they had, who they contacted about it. I make an entry for every document for every signer individually, they sign and thumbprint for each document. WHY? Because after 36 years of being a notary, I have been roped in on several court cases, sued but not found guilty of anything ever, but had to pay a lot of $ each time. When your notarizations are questioned by a court, a judge, in depositions, and you are on the stand, you better know all about what you did and didn't do and be able to show you exercised diligence and took every measure to show you are beyond reproach. Think it will never happen to you? Keep notarizing.

10ksignings@gmail.com

19 Feb 2018

I fill out all boxes in the journal, required or not. I also put the address on their ID and the one that is current or where they actually live. In additional notes section, I note the names of anyone who attended the signing, the escrow officers name and company and escrow #, and sometimes the lender and loan # and any questions they had, who they contacted about it. I make an entry for every document for every signer individually, they sign and thumbprint for each document. WHY? Because after 36 years of being a notary, I have been roped in on several court cases, sued but not found guilty of anything ever, but had to pay a lot of $ each time. When your notarizations are questioned by a court, a judge, in depositions, and you are on the stand, you better know all about what you did and didn't do and be able to show you exercised diligence and took every measure to show you are beyond reproach. Think it will never happen to you? Keep notarizing. And keep in mind that a $100,000 E&O policy only covers $10,000 of legal fees, and that as a notary you have UNLIMITED LIABILITY. Think about that then next time you accept a low ball offer.

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